


Control: Side Stories

by WritingEmi



Series: Control [2]
Category: Young Justice (Cartoon)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Families of Choice, Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Past Abuse, Past Child Abuse, Pre-Slash, Recovery, Team Dynamics, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-07-17
Updated: 2013-07-16
Packaged: 2017-12-20 10:45:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,174
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/886341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WritingEmi/pseuds/WritingEmi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Additional side stories to my first story, Control.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. About Fathers

About Fathers

 

Wally tilted his face up and relished the feel of the sun on his skin and the breeze in his hair.  He learned from J’onn to concentrate on good things, even simple things like being out in the sun to help ease his emotions and to keep him from panicking.  Wally needed it, because he was on the verge of an extreme emotional breakdown. 

 

This was a stupid idea, but he needed to do it.  If he backed down now he would never forgive himself.  Everyone around Wally had done so much for him by pulling him away from an emotionally abusive home and giving him the love and support that he needed.  Now Wally was trying to give back to one of those people who had helped him and in a way Wally was helping his own recovery.  J’onn had supported his idea, believing that it would be a good way for him to confront his past and to shape a better future.  The Martian even told him that he’d arrange the meeting himself.  It sounded like a good idea to Wally at the time.

 

But as Superman came towards the rooftop of the Daily Planet, descending upon him like the great hero he used to worship, Wally was beginning to think this was a terrible idea.  He wanted to run away, but he was frozen to his spot.  Things only became worse for him when Superman landed on the concrete and approached Wally with concern bright in his eyes.  Wally knew that Superman meant well, that he really was worried about Wally’s wellbeing, and hell, he even offered Wally a home, to live with the Man of Steel’s parents.  Wally desperately wished that Superman would direct that kindness and energy elsewhere.

 

“J’onn said you needed to talk to me.  Has your father contacted you or approached you?”  Superman asked right away, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder and worry was lacing his voice.

 

Wally shook his head.  No, it was nothing that drastic.

 

“Is everything alright at home?  With Dinah?”

 

Wally could only nod for the moment as his throat had suddenly closed up.  Everything was fine at home other than his minor and not so minor freak outs.

 

“I, uh …” Wally grasped for the right words to say, but they were just beyond his reach and his throat felt too dry.

 

“Take your time, Wally.”

 

Superman’s compassion only made things harder, because as much as Wally and his team loathed the man now, Superman was in a many ways a great guy, one of the many reasons why Wally had looked up to him.  Not only was he a hero, he was genuinely a nice person who cared deeply about his friends and family.  Well, most of his family.

 

“I came here to talk about Conner.”  The statement came out quietly and it would have been lost to the wind if it wasn’t for Superman’s super hearing.  “You need to talk to him.  You need to tell him that he means something to you.  You need to tell him that he’s someone to you,” he rambled.

 

His plea obviously wasn’t what Superman was expecting and the older man stood in front of Wally shocked.  The teen took advantage of that shock and continued to speak.  “Please, it hurts, it hurts to be ignored, to have someone you care about pretend that you don’t exist, that you’re _nothing_ ,” Wally whispered harshly, his emotions choking him.   “Please, talk to Conner, just acknowledge him.”

 

“Wally, it’s more complicated than that.”  Superman’s tone was so gentle and careful that it was painful.  Where was this consideration for Conner?  Why was Wally so special that he got such treatment when Superman wouldn’t do it for his _son_?

 

“Just _acknowledge_ him!  You save everyone!  So why not save Conner!?”  Wally stopped when he realized that he was shouting.  He was shouting at Superman.

 

The pain he felt wasn’t just for Conner, but for himself as well.  Because sometimes when he looked at Conner when someone talked about Superman, Wally saw himself in Conner’s eyes.  The sense of abandonment and a blind longing for love and acceptance from the person it should’ve come most naturally from was all too familiar to Wally.  And poor Conner, Conner went through it too.  But where were the people to save Superboy?  No one was running to his rescue like they had come running to save Wally.

 

“Please,” the word was quiet and desperate.  “Please, save him.”

 

Wally’s legs shook so badly and his breathing became so erratic that Superman steadied him and helped him sit down.  “I’ll call your uncle and tell him to take you home.”

 

Home sounded really good at that moment.  Lying down in his warm bed, having his aunt fuss over him, Dinah ordering takeout soup and pouring into a bowl trying to pass it off as her own, his uncle telling him tales about the Justice League to cheer him up, Roy bringing over action movies to watch with him, and Dick crawling into his bed to hold him.  That sounded like an excellent idea.  It was so selfish of him that it brought tears to his eyes.

 

“What about Conner?” Wally asked.

 

There was a sad softness to Superman’s eyes and it reminded Wally that despite the fact that Clark Kent was an alien, he was also very human.  “I’ll … We’ll see, ok?”

 

No, it wasn’t ok.  But that was all that was left in Wally, it was all he could stand to bare and he hated himself for it.  Conner, who stood up to Rudolph West and rescued Wally, deserved so much more than Wally could give.  Wally’s shoulders slumped in defeat as he waited for his uncle to come get him.

 

The Flash was there in less than two minutes and he lifted Wally up into his arms.  He whispered soothingly to Wally as the teen just laid his head on the Flash’s shoulder, his body still trembling.  From under his cowl, Barry Allen glared at Superman, “We’ll talk later.”

 

Superman nodded.  “Just get him home safely.”  Then he took to the air and was off.

 

“Come on, Kid, let’s get you home.  Your aunt will meet us at Dinah’s and I’m sure that Robin will be there.”

 

Wally’s hand clutched onto the red fabric of the Flash’s suit and he whimpered helplessly, “I tried.  I really tried.”

 

Barry didn’t know what his nephew was talking about, but he held the boy a little tighter and said, “I know you did, I know you did your best.”

 

A couple of weeks later Wally was making a sandwich in the kitchen at Mount Justice after training.  He paused in his snack making when he saw Conner pass by with a duffle bag slung over his shoulder.  Wally was torn between running to catch up with Conner to ask him where he was going and shoving his sandwich in his face for some much needed calories.  Choosing to do both, Wally managed to trip on his own feet as he chased after Conner, feeling a little dizzy after training.  He didn’t eat before training and conveniently forgot to tell Dinah, so he was running on empty.

 

A hand gripped his shoulder, steadying him.  Artemis looked at him with a bit of disgust at the way he was eating, but chose not to comment on it right away.

 

“Where is Supey going?” Wally asked with his mouthful and bits of crumbs falling from his lips.

 

“First, you’re seriously gross.  Second, Megan told me that Conner is going to his grandparents’ farm in the middle of nowhere, you know, the farm they tried to send you to.  It’s going to be a long weekend now that I only have Kaldur as eye candy,” she sighed.  “Too bad Robin is too young.”

 

Wally ignored the light barb at him, more focused on what else she had said.  “To his grandparents’ place?  Is Superman going to be there?  Is Superman talking to him?”

 

Artemis shrugged.  “Not really, at least from what I’ve heard, but he must be talking to his parents about Conner, because they invited him over.  Robin said that Batman says he wasn’t the one who told them.  It’s a start, right?”

 

Wally’s face broke out into a large grin.  Superman wasn’t going to win father of the year anytime soon, but it was a small step in the right direction.  Superman was beginning to acknowledge Conner was part of his family, that Conner was _someone._

 

It was more than Wally could claim about his own father.


	2. About Big Brothers

About Big Brothers

 

Roy waited impatiently on his motorcycle for Wally to get out of class for the day.  He came to get Wally because Dinah was away on Justice League business for the weekend.  Something about the League acting as diplomats or bodyguards or going to go see the goddamn Wizard of Oz.  Roy didn’t really care, but he was excited to spend the weekend with Wally.  They would go on patrol together, beat up some criminals, eat pizza, watch action movies and talk about nothing.  Looking across the parking lot he caught a glance of Wally, who was weaving his way through the mass of students towards Roy.  The young speedster had a large smile on his face, obviously also eager for the weekend.

 

“Roy!”  Wally beamed.

 

Nodding towards him, Roy held out the spare helmet.  “Hey, Kid, ready for the weekend?”

 

“Yeah, it’s going to be great!”

 

A couple of girls nearby were giggling, stealing glances over at the pair, before they approached Roy and Wally.  Roy did his best not to glare and Wally smiled at the girls.

 

“Hey Amy, Katie, what’s up?”  Wally asked, a hint of his flirtatious tone in his words.

 

“Just getting ready to leave,” the one named Amy smiled back.  “So, Wally, is this your big brother?”

 

Roy was about to open his mouth and tell them that they were not related, that Wally was only his annoying best friend, but Wally was faster.  “Yeah, this is Roy, my big bro.  He goes to college and lives on his own.  Roy, these beautiful ladies are Amy and Katie, they’re both in science club with me.”

 

The girls giggled again, almost making Roy sick with their sweetness.  Katie grinned and batted her eyelashes.  “I see the resemblance.  He looks like you, Wally, an older, more mature version of you.”

 

“It’s sweet that you come pick him up all the time,” the other girl gushed.  “I know your mom is pretty busy, so it’s nice that you take the time to be there for Wally.”

 

Roy’s eye twitched at the thought of Dinah as his mother.  He didn’t bother to correct her that Dinah was Wally’s guardian.  “Uh, yeah, well, we need to get going.  Lots of plans today.  Um, nice to meet you.”

 

“Roy and I are spending the weekend together,” Wally explained excitedly.  “Doing brotherly things.”

 

“That sounds like fun!”  A girl said, Roy lost track which one was which and he didn’t really care.  “Have a good weekend, Wally!  You too, Roy!”

 

“Bye ladies!  See you next week!” Wally waved before slipping on his helmet and wrapping his arms firmly around Roy.

 

The older boy just rolled his eyes and drove them back to Dinah’s condo.  He had already stopped by Dinah and Wally’s place earlier to drop off his stuff for the weekend.  After throwing his bag in Wally’s room, he found an envelope with his name on it waiting for him on the kitchen counter.  When he opened it up there was some money for food and a note in Dinah’s neat handwriting.

 

_Roy,_

_Here is some money to buy Wally food for the weekend, make sure he eats.  It’s been a tough week for him so try to be sensitive.  Thanks for keeping him company for the weekend.  Have fun._

_Dinah_

_PS- If there is so much as a scratch on that boy when I get home I am taking it out on you tenfold._

 

While Roy crumpled the note and took the money, he thought about what Dinah wrote.  A tough week usually meant that Wally had multiple anxiety attacks, bad ones.  Now, sitting with Wally in the living room watching TV the other boy seemed fine, but Roy could spot the dark circles under his eyes, the signs of nightmares and sleepless nights.  That didn’t discourage Roy though, he was used to Wally’s moods and knew how to handle them.

 

“Did you want to go on patrol tonight?” Roy asked casually.  “At our usual spots?”  

 

Wally brightened at the prospect.  “Yeah!  Dinah hasn’t let me go out all week besides training,” he pouted.  “She was being overprotective just because I had a small panic attack this week.”

 

Roy lifted an eyebrow.  He knew Wally was toning down his week and admittedly if Wally looked any worse, Roy wouldn’t let Wally out of his sight himself.  But he didn’t look worse and that was good enough for Roy.  “Ok, let’s get some food into you first and we’ll go out after dark.”  Roy reached for the phone and ordered a couple of pizzas.

 

Patrol would be good, Roy figured, if he could wear out Wally enough then the speedster would sleep through the night without any problems.  And if he took Wally to the really dangerous parts of Star City, the younger teen could work out any frustrations or fears he went through during the week on some people who deserved it.  Roy just hoped that Wally would be all healed up before Dinah got home.

 

Thankfully for Red Arrow, Kid Flash came out of patrol with minimal injuries.  They didn’t get home until the early hours of the morning and Wally was almost dead on his feet, but there was a lighter look on his face and Roy was satisfied.  The older teen grabbed a blanket and a pillow from the hall closet, prepared to crash on the couch, when he noticed Wally standing in the doorway of his bedroom.  He looked at Roy expectantly and the archer just sighed.  Roy shoved the blanket and pillow back into closet and followed Wally into his room.

 

Roy climbed into the bed next to Wally, with the speedster lying close to him.  Close enough where Roy could feel his warmth, but Wally didn’t touch him.  The speedster rolled over onto his side, facing Roy and still didn’t touch him. 

 

The older teen sighed loudly and grumbled, “For the love of god.”  He threw an arm over Wally and pulled him closer.  “Don’t you dare kick me in your sleep again.”

 

Wally just grinned.

 

They spent the next morning watching mindless action movies while they made repairs to their respective uniforms and equipment in the living room.  Wally still used his Kid Flash uniform for his missions, but he used a different one to patrol Star City and Red Arrow was always conscious to only call him Kid when they were on patrol together.  They had to be careful not to accidently reveal Kid Flash’s location to the press.  There were no more spotlights and interviews for Kid Flash or personal connections with the community, something that Flashes usually thrived on.  Speedsters were such social creatures that Roy couldn’t help but wonder how it affected Wally to have to hide in the shadows.  Roy’s hands stilled in the middle of sewing up a tear in his pants and he wondered how Wally ever survived years of emotional abuse when he was such a social person to begin with.

 

“Hey,” Wally’s shoulder bumped against Roy’s.  “I’m fine.”

 

Roy bumped his shoulder back.  “I wasn’t thinking of you, I was thinking of what a jerk Ollie is.”

 

“Good.”

 

They continued to watch movies until noon when they went out for lunch.  During lunch Wally never stopped talking.  He kept swooning over how wonderful Dr. Palmer was and talking about how much fun science club was, how challenging his classes were and the new friends he’s been making.  Roy was happy to listen, but he rolled his eyes at Wally’s fanboy tendencies.

 

By the time they got back home and opened the door, Roy knew right away that they had company and his heart sank in an odd way.  It took Wally until he entered his room to notice and the speedster basically squealed when he saw who it was.

 

“Rob!”

 

Roy watched as Wally threw himself at the lump lying in his bed.  The Boy Wonder laughed and wrapped his arms around the speedster, pulling him into a tight hug.  Judging by Dick’s backpack on the floor, Roy figured that the younger teen planned on staying for the rest of the weekend.  Roy crossed his arms and looked away from the pair before going back to living room.  He and Wally had planned on finishing their movie marathon after all.

 

Sitting in the armchair, Roy couldn’t stop sneaking glances over at Wally and Dick.  They were spooning on the couch, which looked ridiculous since Wally was acting as the little spoon despite the fact that he was much taller and his long limbs seemed to be everywhere.  He knew it didn’t matter, that’s what Wally wanted and Robin was only happy to oblige him.  Roy just sat off to the side with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face.

 

Later into the night all three went out on patrol.  Roy had planned on watching more movies with Wally that night, maybe even let the speedster cuddle with him, but they went out instead.  Robin hated going on patrol with Red Arrow and Kid Flash in Star City since they would actively look for a fight in the roughest parts of the city.  And that’s exactly why Roy was so insistent that they go out.  Red Arrow _knew_ that Kid’s wounds wouldn’t heal before Dinah came home, but knowing that he annoyed Robin made it worth the beating he’d get from Black Canary.  That would teach the Boy Wonder to drop in unannounced all the time.

 

After they got back and patched up, Roy found himself standing in front of the hall closet again, pulling down a blanket and pillow.  Again Wally stood in the doorway of his room, looking over at the archer.  This time Wally had to clear his throat a little to get the older teen’s attention.

 

“Roy?” Wally’s voice was soft and questioning.

 

Roy shoved the blanket and pillow back into the closet and followed Wally into the bedroom.

 

It was always a tight fit in the bed when Robin made an appearance, but that night it seemed unbearably so to Roy.  Glancing over at Wally and Dick, who were asleep and spooned together, the older teen sighed quietly to himself.  This was supposed to be his weekend with Wally and as much as Robin was one of Roy’s closest friends, he couldn’t help but feel jealous of him.  They were all close, but the bond between Wally and Dick was closer and when Dick Grayson walked through the door, or window, he was all Wally could see.  Roy couldn’t help but sometimes feel … left out.

 

And why shouldn’t Wally’s world revolve around Robin?  Robin was the one who figured out something was terribly wrong in Wally’s life while everyone else fiddled their thumbs in ignorance.  Robin was the one who got Wally to confess his deepest secret and put into motion saving the speedster from his dire situation.  Robin was the hero in the tragic tale that was Wally’s life.  Roy was just a side character.

 

The sound of rustling sheets and footsteps told Roy that someone had gotten out of bed, and since he could still feel Wally’s warmth next to him, it was Dick who left.  Roy laid there in silence, waiting for Robin to return, but it was taking Robin an awfully long time.  Much longer than what was needed to get a glass of water or go to the bathroom.  His curiosity getting the better of him, Roy slid out of the bed and walked into the living room.  He found Dick sitting on the couch, looking contemplative in the way he slouched forward and rested his chin in his hands.

 

“Why are you out here?”  Roy demanded.

 

“Couldn’t sleep.”  Robin shrugged.

 

Roy rolled his eyes, it was too late into the night to deal with this.  “Get back in bed before Wally wakes up and starts whining that you’re gone.”

 

Dick narrowed his eyes.  “He has you.  He doesn’t need anyone else.”

 

Roy visibly flinched at the statement as the words were so unexpected that he couldn’t contain his reaction.  “Wally needs you.”

 

Robin snorted.  “But you’re the one he wants, the one he chose.”

 

He really couldn’t believe what he was hearing, Roy was pretty sure he had stepped into an alternate dimension, because these weren’t things that Dick should’ve been worried about.  Dick was the one Wally always wanted, the one he turned to for comfort and safety.  Why Dick would doubt any of those things was beyond Roy.

 

“You’re insane.”  Best to be blunt about it, Roy figured.  “Now get back to bed.  If Wally has nightmares because he’s alone I’m going to take it out on you.”  Roy almost winced once he said that, he was beginning to sound like Dinah.

 

“I’ve been thinking,” Dick continued and Roy couldn’t suppress his sigh of annoyance.  “He always talks about what the two of you do together, how much he looks up to you, how good you are to him.  I kind of thought that it was all because of … of what happened, what was happening to him.  But then I remembered that you were always there for Wally, you’re rough around the edges, but you’ve always cared about us and you were always that gruff big brother who looked after us.  You were always there for Wally, you two were always close.  You still are and days like this I can see it and I’m … I’m envious.”

 

“Not only are you insane, but you’re stupid too.”

 

“No!  I’m not!”  Dick protested, a frustrated expression on his face.  “You’re the one he turns to!  When we all screwed up over the summer, when we failed him, you were the one he ran to.”

 

“Wally ran to ice cream, I just found him.”

 

“He ran to you.  You were the one he trusted, you were the only one who could treat him the way he needed to be treated.  You were the only who could treat him normally, while we just made everything worse.”  Robin seemed to deflate at the words.

 

This was way too weird to Roy to see the doubt in Dick when he was often so confident.  Deep down Dick was still a kid who had a lot on his plate.  Between being the orphaned ward of a rich playboy, being Robin, being a part of the team and being the hero to his best friend, it really shouldn’t have come as a surprise that there were lingering doubts within the Boy Wonder.  Sitting down next to Dick, Roy put a hand on his shoulder.

 

“Don’t be dense, he needs both of us, in different ways.”

 

Dick stared at him with disbelief.

 

“Wally sees me as his big brother, and yeah, I’m pretty important.”

 

Dick narrowed his eyes, but he was listening.

 

“To Wally, you’re … You’re not a brother to Wally, I don’t know, you’re like his fucking knight in shining armor or something like that.”  Roy really wasn’t good at this.  “Look, what I’m trying to say is that yeah, I see him more often, but he still loves you, you’re still his hero and best friend.”

 

Dick sat there in silence, letting Roy’s words sink in.

 

“I care about you too, you know.  It’s not such a burden to have you around.  We both need you.”  He ruffled the younger teen’s hair and stood up.  Dick was like a little brother to him, but he didn’t need Roy as much as Wally did.  However sometimes he did and Roy knew that he’d always be there for the kid, even if he did drive the archer crazy. 

 

The worried lines on the Boy Wonder’s face lightened, but he was still busy thinking.

 

Roy got impatient and grabbed Dick by the arm, getting him to his feet.  “You can brood in bed, you goddamn mini-Bat.”

 

The younger teen twisted out of Roy’s grip and marched over to the bedroom without another word and both of them slipped into the bed on either side of Wally.  Roy was well aware of the fact that Dick was watching him as Wally latched onto one of his arms, turned away from the Boy Wonder in his sleep.  There was a faint smile on Dick’s face.

 

“You’re a good big brother,” Robin whispered.

 

Roy just snorted with indifference to hide the pleasure rising in his chest.


End file.
